SPEAKERS

Andrew PetrouDirector (SIER) and Executive Director (DAIR)

As the Director of SIER, Andrew is responsible for enhancing external relations with both government and industry stakeholders. Andrew builds strong collaborative relationships with external partners, including key municipal, provincial and federal contacts as well as industry and academic representatives, with the hope of continuing to build bridges and provide opportunities for both academic institutions and businesses, local and abroad. By building these relationships, Andrew identifies short and long-term strategic initiatives to respond to industry and government priorities and to enhance the College’s services and reputation as a leader in post-secondary education.

Andrew is also the Executive Director of the Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research (DAIR) consortium. This group includes representation from all of the large aerospace companies and leading postsecondary education institutions from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Under Andrew’s leadership, DAIR has come together with the joint mandate of developing an Aerospace Hub at Downsview Park in Toronto, Ontario. At the heart of the Hub, an Aerospace Research and Innovation Centre will bridge industry, academia, and government partnerships.

Growing up in Scarborough, Andrew has an affinity for supporting the local community, everything from the neighbourhood bakery and butcher shop to a local pub serving craft beers. Andrew’s love for the community also spans to the sports world and his dying support for all of Toronto’s teams, including the Raptors, Leafs, Blue Jays, TFC and Toronto Rock.

Dr. Ben Cecil
CEO, Canadian Centre for Product Validation

Ben received his Ph.D. from the University of Western Ontario, specializing in financial and corporate geography with additional specializations in cooperative business behaviour and technology partnerships.In 2007, Ben completed the College and University Administrator’s Program through the University of Manitoba, and just recently completed the Advanced Administration Program in 2015. From 2001 to 2008, Ben was a faculty member at the University of Regina.He served in increasingly responsible roles such as the Department Head of Geography and Head of the School of Journalism at the University of Regina and as the Inter-University Prairie Studies program coordinator between the University of Regina, the University of Saskatchewan and the First Nations University of Canada.In 2008, Ben joined Niagara College Canada as the Dean of the School of Technology and was quickly promoted to the position of Dean of the Environment, Media and Technology Division in 2009.In 2013, Ben joined Fanshawe College as the Associate Vice-President, Academic, leading the institution’s Academic Excellence, Research and Innovation initiatives. Since joining Fanshawe, Ben has been instrumental a number of strategic initiatives for the College:

The creation of the $16.22M, federally funded, Canadian Centre for Product Validation

The creation and successful launch of the School of Public Safety

The growth of the Centre for Research and Innovation making Fanshawe one of Canada’s Top 50 research Colleges

The creation of the College’s enhanced Stage Gate process leading to the largest number of programs developed in the College’s history

Enhanced scheduling resulting in 100% course loading each term; and

Project OPTO resulting in significant cost savings for the college as room allocations, massing, utilization and general enhancements are providing additional capacity without incurring significant costs or new capital requirements for classrooms.

Ben is the former co-editor of the Great Lakes Geographer, a member of numerous professional associations, and is a Board Member for three organizations spanning both the profit and not-for-profit sectors. Locally and nationally.

Prior to joining the academy, Ben was the Executive Vice President of the Centre for Advanced Management Education, Leadership and Organizational Training with 10 years experience in strategic business planning, corporate analysis, business development and consulting specializing in high-technology manufacturing and data-to-web deployment.

Ben is the recipient of the Barry M. Moriarity Award for scholarly contributions to the Southern Regional Science Association, an accomplished researcher with over 35 publications, a nationally acclaimed award-winning teacher, and he is a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Statistics Canada, and US National Research Foundation funded scholar.

Ben now leads a great team at the Canadian Centre for Product Validation at Fanshawe as its Chief Executive Officer.

Ben Willoughby

Ben Willoughby is a Senior Advisor with the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Growth’s Ontario Investment Office, where he leads engagement with Ontario’s defence sector. In this role Ben works to build connections between Ontario SMEs and research centres and large defence companies and encourage investment in the province. Previously, Ben had a similar role within MEDG working with the aerospace sector, and before joining the Ontario Public Service, he worked for the Australian and the Victorian governments in other business-facing roles such as airports policy, air services negotiations and infrastructure regulation.

David Muir
Director of R+D, NRC

David Muir earned his B.Sc and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Western Ontario, in London Canada, with his doctoral research focused in synthetic organic chemistry.He conducted his postdoctoral fellowship with the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada in the field of natural product chemistry.

David joined 3M Canada in London, Canada in 1996 as a Research and Development Chemist, gaining technical and management experience in a number of industrial sectors in R+D.He served as Integration Manager in the acquisition of a Canadian company, in which he held senior level management responsibilities in Operations, Finance, and R&D. David was then appointed into business management roles within the Healthcare sector, including the Food Safety andInfection Prevention Divisions with responsibility for business unit performance..

Dr. Muir joined the National Research Council in July 2015 as Director of R+D for the London, Ontario facility within NRC’s Automotive and Surface Transportation portfolio.

Dr. David B. Saint John
Director of Innovation and Advanced Manufacturing, Linamar Corporation

Dr. David B. Saint John obtained his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Pennsylvania State University, prior to completing a Post-doctoral position in Additive Manufacturing (AM) R&D at PSU’s CIMP-3D facility. He began building thermoplastic 3D printers in 2010, teaching a course in Open Source AM for seven semesters through the Department of Engineering Design. He was a Lead Engineer at Eaton Corporation’s AM Center of Excellence in Southfield Michigan prior to joining Linamar Corporation as Director of Innovation and Advanced Manufacturing. While all manufacturing methods have their merits, David is looking to ‘print the future’ when it makes good sense to do so.

Frank Defalco
CME

Frank manages CME’s Canada Makes program that assists companies in the adoption of additive manufacturing (AM). Frank is an experienced communications specialist with a public relations background and program management experience. He is one of the most knowledgeable individuals on Canada’s AM eco-system. Past experience includes, website content developer at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, lead developer for the Government of Canada’s main website (canada.gc.ca).Frank was part of the first manufacturing team in North America to introduce just-in-time (Lean) manufacturing of printed circuit boards with Harris Corporation.

Jennifer Laidlaw is a Senior Business Advisor with the joining the Transformative Technology Adoption (TTA) unit of the Ontario Investment Office. Prior to joining the Ministry, Jennifer was the Director of Business Development and Project Management at GP JOULE, a German renewable energy company with North American headquarters in Toronto, Canada. During her time with GP JOULE, Jennifer was responsible for both the project & commercial management of their utility scale solar plant EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) business, as well as their Solar Products group. Prior to this experience, Jennifer worked at Magna International where she filled various commercial, project management, and business development roles. During her time at Magna, Jennifer was engaged in both their structural automotive and non-automotive business lines, and played a key role in the launch and success of the company’s Ontario-based Renewable Energy Systems Group. Jennifer holds an MBA from Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria, and a B.A. (Hons) in International Development from the University of Guelph.

Krysten Keir
SONAMI

Krystyn Keir is the Project Manager for the Southern Ontario Network for Advanced
Manufacturing (SONAMI), a research consortium with three other academic-research
institutions, that supports innovation and development in business and key industry sectors.
Krystyn is responsible for the performance of all partners within the research network, ensuring
successful project outcomes to grow SONAMI. An industrial engineer with an MBA and a
Bachelor of Education, Krystyn has 15 years’ experience in operations and project management
and has provided effective and successful leadership on projects in the fields of education,
finance and manufacturing. Her passion for all things project management serves well
SONAMI’s innovative collaboration of educational institutions to support the needs of the
manufacturing companies in the Golden Horseshoe and beyond.

Mark Kirby
Renishaw

After graduating from MIT in Aero/Astro Engineering, Mark joined Rolls Royce working on the HOTOL/SKYLON space shuttle, before moving to his Father’s company, Jet Blades. Mark worked his way from CAD/CAM programmer to Managing Director, responsible for a design and production team manufacturing high technology components for a global customer base.

In 2007 Mark emigrated to Canada with his family. As a professional engineer Mark provided practical hands-on advice for companies in the Maritimes seeking to apply new technology. Mark also taught Engineering at the University of New Brunswick. He has a Diploma in University Teaching and an MBA from Warwick University. Mark joined Renishaw as Business Manager for Additive Manufacturing in 2013 and runs one of Renishaw’s first Additive Manufacturing Solution Centres in Kitchener, Ontario.

Dr. Mihaela Vlasea

Dr. Vlasea is an Assistant Professor at the University of Waterloo, in the Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering Department. She is the associate Director of the Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing Laboratory and hr research focuses on innovative design, process optimization and adoption of new materials for laser powder bed fusion and powder bed binder jetting additive manufacturing processes. The research goals are to bridge the technological gaps necessary to improve part quality, process repeatability and reliability for products ranging from the biomedical to aerospace.

Paul HogendoornPresident, FreePoint Technologies of London

Cofounded FreePoint in 2013 to bring the IIoT to manufacturing industries cost effectively and quickly, making it possible to connect even legacy machines today.

Cofounded OES, Inc of London, in 1981, and president to 2011.

A founding member of the London Region Manufacturing Council (“LRMC”) and chair for multiple.

A regular contributor for various industry publications and magazines, writing on the topics of leadership, entrepreneurship, and the importance of an engaged workforce.

A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology (1977) and a self-described “incurable entrepreneur”.

Paul is married and has 2 adult children and 4 grandchildren (with a 5th grandchild on the way). London has been the family home since 1979. His other interests include boating, motorcycling, and anything that lets him enjoy the great outdoors.

Paul Boothe is the Managing Director for the Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing. In December 2016, he was appointed to the Order of Canada. Paul retired as Professor and Director of the Lawrence National Centre for Policy and Management at the Ivey Business School, Western University, in August 2016. His work experience has included university research and teaching, acting as an independent consultant to Canadian and international organizations, and serving as a senior public servant in provincial and federal governments. At the provincial level, he served as Saskatchewan’s Deputy Minister of Finance and Secretary to Treasury Board. At the federal level, his appointments include Associate Deputy Minister of Finance and G7 Deputy, Senior Associate Deputy Minister of Industry and, most recently, Deputy Minister of the Environment. He retired from the federal public service in July 2012.

Raymond HerouxPresident, Heroxx Logistics

Raymond received his Professional Customs Broker license in 1984, and has pursued a career in the
trade compliance industry ever since. He worked with different companies in this field, culminating
as a Canadian Product Director for warehousing with Fritz Canada in 1996.
He founded the trade consultancy, Heroxx Logistix, in January 1997, providing guidance o industry
and government in compliance matters related to export control, customs legislation and free trade
agreements.
Two years ago, Heroxx Logistix took over the day-to- day management of Canadian Export Control
Services (CECS), expanding its focus to Controlled Goods regulations, and other challenges faced by
the defense industry.

Doug Blakey is the president and founder of Watsec Cyber Risk Management. Watsec is an accredited
Certification Body for the Cyber Essentials standard. He is also the Managing Director of the Canadian
Centre for Cyber Risk Management (C3RM), a not-for-profit organization which champions greater cyber
risk awareness for Canadians and the organizations they rely on.
Prior to founding Watsec, Mr. Blakey spent more than 25 years in the IT industry working for
organizations including IBM, Prudential Assurance, and Environment Canada. During his tenure with IBM
Canada he supported Fortune 500 companies from business sectors that include banking, insurance, and
public utilities. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics with a double major in Computer Science
and Psychology from the University of Waterloo. He resides in Waterloo, Ontario with his lovely wife
Claudia.

Jessica’s career in the Defence industry began in 2002 as the office manager for the Australian Army’s Canadian office for the Light Armoured Vehicle Program where she coordinated all administrative and financial arrangements for the program office. She continued her career working with; Armatec Survivability Corp, General Dynamics Land Systems, and Kongsberg Protech Systems. Currently, Jessica is the Business Development Manager at Strategic Shipping Canada in London Ontario. In Nov 2013 she joined Strategic Shipping and is primarily responsible for identifying and leading new business opportunities. She also oversees and manages various internal projects including corporate processes and policies.